Vibrator.



A. J. STEOKER.

VIBBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 190B.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

witnesses ANDREW u, aamm co. Pnom-mnoampnsm wasmuarom n. c.'

ALFRED J. STECKER, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB, TO EUREKA VIBBATORCO., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

VIBRATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. STEOKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of ayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vibrators; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a vibrator for massaging purposes, andconsists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully set forth and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means forcausing a vibration or gyration of the applicator, wherein thearrangement is such as to permit the vibratory movement to be regulatedat will, so as to afford by a simple adjustment, any degree of vibrationdesired. It has been found that in vibrators of this class, a variationof the vibratory movement is absolutely essential so as to enable thedegree of vibration to be regulated accordingly as the point ofapplication is changed or the conditions vary it being essential thatthe means of adjustment be convenient and easily operatable that thedesired variations in the vibratory movement may be readily made.

The above object is attained in the manner desired by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is anelevation of a vibrator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail in longitudinal section through the front end of the case, andthrough the parts which impart vibratory movement to the applicator,showing the means for adjusting said parts to regulate the vibration.Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the position of parts when adjusted toafford the maximum vibration. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in elevationwith parts in section, showing the construction of the ball and socketjoint at the end of the case, the means for preventing the rotation ofthe ball while allowing said ball to tilt or rock in its confiningbearings.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25, 1908.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

SerialNo. 429,134.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates a suitable caseor supporting frame mounted on a handle 2. Within the case or frame is asuitable electric motor indicated at 3 in Fig. 3, from which extends themotor shaft 4. Secured to the end of the shaft and rotatable therewithis a socket member 5 having a socket 6 therein which is inclined withrespect to the axis of said member, the outer end of said socket beingeccentric to said axis, and the inner end concentric thereto. Within theouter end of the case is a spherical member or ball 7 which is-seated inand confined between two hemispherical shells 8 and 9 respectively whichembrace said ball, the inner shell 9 being seated in the opening in theend of the case, and the outer shell 8 being engaged by the gland 10which screws onto the end of said case to confine and retain said parts.By adjusting said gland, any desired tension may be placed upon themembers forming the ball and socket joint, and by means of the set screw11 shown in Fig. 1, when adjusted, said gland may be locked.

Passing centrally through the ball and through the hemispherical shellswhich embrace it and which are provided with openings for that purpose,is a longitudinally reciprocatory rod 12 which is externally threaded,as shown at 13, and is provided at its extreme outer end with a threadedsocket member let into which is screwed the stem 15 of the applicator16, which is herein shown in the form of a rubber cup, but the form andcharacter of which may be varied at pleasure. The rod 12 passes freelythrough the ball 7 and upon its inner end is provided with a rotary ball17 which is adapted to lie in the socket 6 of the member or coupling 5on the end of the motor shaft 4. Secured to the rod 12 near its innerend is a collar 18, and confined between said collar and the ball 7 is acompressible spring 19. Screwed onto the threaded portion 13 of the rod12 is an adjusting disk 20 by a rotation of which the rod 12 may beadjusted longitudinally, causing the ball 17 on the inner end thereof toslide within the socket 6 of the rotary member 5. To limit thelongitudinal movement of the rod 12 througli the ball 7, said rod isprovided with a key-seat 21 therein (see Fig. 2), into which extends theinner end of the pin 22 which is fixed in the ball 7 and whose outer endlies in a slot.

, porting frame, a rotary member journaled ment of said rod with saidrotary member.

23 formed in the end of the case, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Thepresence of .said pin 22 in the channel or key-seat in the rod 12,limits the longitudinal movement of said rod, while the outer end ofsaid pin lying in the slot in the end of the case, prevents a rotarymovement of said rod and of the ball 7, the size of said slot 23however, being such as to permit of the tilting or rocking movement ofsaid ball.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, a rotation of theshaft 4 and coupling member 5, will impart no vibratory movement to theapplicator 16, because of the fact that the axis of the rod 12 whichimparts movement to said applicator is in alinement with the axis of theshaft 4. By turning the adjusting disk 20, however, so as to screw therod 12 through the ball 7 against the action of the spring 19, the ball17 on the inner end of said rod will be drawn outwardly in the inclinedslot 16 so as to cause the longitudinal axis of the actuating rod 12 tostand at an angle to the axis of the shaft 4, as clearly shown in Fig.3, thereby imparting, as the shaft 4 revolves, a gymtory movement to theapplicator 16 attached to the outer end of said rod 12. By turning thedisk 20 in the opposite direction, the force of the spring 19 will drawthe rod inwardly, causing the ball 17 on the inner end thereof to enterthe socket in the rotary member 5, and as said ball gradually approaches the axis of rotation of shaft 4, the degree of vibrationapplied to the applicator 16 will be correspondingly reduced. By thissimple arrangement, the gyrator movement imparted to the applicator maybe regulated so as to render the vibration as light or as severe asdesired, the arrangement being such as to enable the degree of vibrationto be readily varied while the instrument is in operation. It will beunderstood that when the rod 12 is out of alinement with the axis of theshaft 4, a rotation of said shaft will cause the inner end of said rodto describe a circle about the axis of said shaft to accommodate whichmovement the ball 7 will rock or tilt in its confining shells.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vibrator, the combination of a suptherein, an applicator, meansfor transmitting movement to the applicator comprising a sphericalmember jointedly seated in the frame, a rod passing through said memberand movable longitudinally therein, one end of said rod having a slidingengagement with said rotary member, and means carried by said rodexterior of the frame for ad justing it longitudinally through thespherical member to adjust the sliding engage- 2. In a vibrator, thecombination of a supporting frame, a rotary member journaled therein, aspherical member jointedly seated in the frame and fixed with respect tosaid rotary member, an applicator, means for transmitting movement tothe applicator comprising a longitudinally movable rod fast to theapplicator at one end, and having sliding engagement at the other endwith said rotary member, said rod being movable through the sphericalmember, and means for moving said rod longitudinally.

3. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotary membertherein provided with a socket disposed at an angle to the axis of saidmember, a ball jointedly seated in said frame, an applicator, means forimparting movement to the applicator, said means comprising alongitudinally movable rod connected with the applicator at one end, andat the other end engaging in the socket of said rotary member, said rodpassing through and movable longitudinally in said ball, and means foradjusting the rod longitudinally to vary its engagement in the socket ofthe rotary member.

4. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotary memberjournaled therein, an applicator, a longitudinally movable rod connectedwith said applicator at one end, and having a sliding engagement at theother end with said rotary member, a ball jointedly seated in the framethrough which said rod is longitudinally movable, and an adjusting diskthreaded on said rod and engaging a fixed part to effect a longi tudinalmovement thereof.

5. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotary memberjournaled therein having an inclined socket, a ball jointedly seated inthe frame, a rod passing through said ball, an applicator connected withthe outer end of said rod, the inner end of said rod engaging in thesocket of the rotary member, a spring connected to said rod at one endand at the other end engaging a fixed part for moving said rod in onedirection, and means for moving the rod longitudinally against theaction of said spring.

(3. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotarymember journaled therein, an applicator, operating means extendingbetween the applicator and rotary member and having sliding connectionwith the latter, said means comprising a longitudinally movable rodpivotally mounted in the frame, a spring upon said rod connected theretoat one end and at the other end engaging a fixed part, and means foradjusting the rod longitudinally against the action of said spring tovary its sliding engagement with said rotary member.

7. In a vibrator, the combination of a frame, a rotary member journaledin said frame, an applicator, operating means connected with theapplicator, said operating means extending between the applicator androtary member, said means comprising a rod having a sliding engagementwith the rotary member and movable longitudinally, said rod beingpivotally mounted in the frame, a disk threaded on said rod engaging afixed part for adjusting it longitudinally, and a spring to return saidrod.

8. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotary memberjour naled therein, an applicator, a longitudinally movable rodconnected with the applicator and having sliding engagement with saidrotary member, a ball jointedly seated in the frame through which saidrod is longitudinally movable, said rod having a key-seat therein, a pinpassing through the ball and extending into the seat, and means foradjusting the rod longitudinally.

9. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotary memberjournaled therein, an applicator, a longitudinally movable rod extendingbetween the applicator and said rotary member and having slidingengagement with the latter, a ball jointedly mounted in the frame, saidrod passing through said ball and movable longitudinally therethrough, apin seated in said ball, a key-seat in said rod in which the inner endof said pin engages, the frame having a notch that receives the outerend of said pin, a spring upon the inner end of the rod confined betweenits inner end and said ball, and an adjusting disk threaded on the outerend of said rod.

10. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotarymember journaled therein, an applicator, a longitudinally movable rodconnected with said applicator at one end, and having a slidingengagement at the other end with said rotary member, a ball jointedlyseated in the frame through which said rod is longitudinally movable,means for adjusting the rod longitudinally,

and means for preventing a rotation of the rod and ball. I

11. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotarymember journaled therein, an applicator, a longitudinally movable rodconnected with said applicator at one end, and having a slidingengagement at the other end with said rotary member, a bearing member jointedly seated in the frame through which said rod is longitudinallymovable, an adjusting disk threaded on the rod engaging said bearingmember, and a spring confined between said bearing member and the innerend of said rod.

12. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotarydriving member therein, a bearing member pivoted on the frame fixed withrespect to said rotary driving member, a rod passing through saidbearing member and longitudinally movable therein, the inner end of saidrod having a movable connection with said driving member, an applicatorconnected with the outer end of said rod, and means for moving the rodlongitudinally through said bearing member to adjust its connection withsaid rotary driving member.

13. In a vibrator, the combination of a supporting frame, a rotarydriving member therein, a ball held in a socket in the frame to havemovement therein, an actuating rod mounted in the ball to slidelongitudinally ALFRED J. STECKER.

Witnesses I. G. HOWLETT, O. B. BAENZIGER.

